A former DVLA employee who altered vehicle records to boost car values and create new identities for stolen and written-off vehicles has been jailed after a judge described the scheme as an example of organised crime.
Matthew Holloway, who worked in the DVLA’s special registration team, abused his position to manipulate vehicle records on behalf of Swansea car dealers and other individuals across the UK, Swansea Crown Court heard.
Wales Online reports that the court heard how Holloway altered computer and paper-based records between January 2021 and July 2022, helping to increase the value of affected vehicles by almost £1.3 million.
His actions included removing registered keepers from logbooks, changing vehicle identification numbers, deleting write-off markers, removing certificates of destruction and issuing new identities for cloned, reconstructed and stolen vehicles.
Following the case, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority says it has strengthened its processes.
DVLA records manipulated
Prosecutor Craig Jones said Holloway exploited a position of trust within the licensing agency by carrying out a “systematic campaign of vehicle document tampering”.
Some of the alterations were made on behalf of Swansea car dealers Ashley Harris and Joshua Sawyer, while other requests came from individuals and organisations elsewhere in the UK.
Examples included removing seven previous keepers from the record of an Audi RS5 and concealing the write-off history of an imported Ferrari 458 Italia.
For Harris, Holloway altered the histories of a BMW M4 Competition and a Mercedes-AMG to hide previous crash damage. The court heard the Mercedes-AMG’s identity was changed three times, which prosecutors suggested could indicate criminal use.
Holloway also created false identity documents for a stolen Range Rover Sport worth £65,000, which was subsequently sold to an unsuspecting buyer.
The court heard the fraudulent record changes increased vehicle values by approximately £1.3m. Harris benefited by around £90,000 and Sawyer by £75,000, while Holloway received £23,400 for carrying out the alterations. DVLA was also said to have lost approximately £27,000 in unpaid fees.
Judge condemns organised fraud
Matthew David Holloway, 32, of Birchgrove, Swansea, Joshua John Sawyer, 31, of Morriston, Swansea, and Ashley Keith Harris, also known as Keith Wayne Lewis, 44, of Llansamlet, Swansea, had previously admitted conspiracy to commit fraud.
Sentencing, Judge Huw Rees said the offending had compromised the integrity of vehicle records relied upon by motorists, motor traders and law enforcement and that “greed was at the heart” of all three defendants.
After receiving one-quarter reductions for their guilty pleas, Holloway was sentenced to five years and three months in prison, Harris to two years and eight months and Sawyer to two years and four months.
Speaking after the hearing, Lisa McCarthy, district crown prosecutor for CPS Cymru-Wales’ complex casework unit, said: “Holloway held a trusted position within the DVLA and exploited that role, as did Harris and Sawyer, for financial benefit. Their offending risked corrupting the UK’s vehicle registration system, which the public, motor trade and law enforcement depend on for accurate information.”
A DVLA spokesperson said: “This was a serious breach of trust by a former employee, who was dismissed immediately once the fraud was identified. Since then, we have strengthened our internal controls to help prevent this type of activity and we continue to work closely with the police and partners to tackle vehicle fraud and protect the integrity of our records.”
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